Media Advisory

Demonstration Planned to Protest Slaughter of Sheep

TRENT HILLS, ON: A “Save Our Shropshires” (SOS) demonstration will be held at Montana Jones’ farm, Wholearth Farmstudio, at 8:00 a.m.* on Monday, April 2, 2012, to show disapproval for the actions of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the draconian legislation that allows them to force the slaughter of 41 apparently healthy sheep. Media are welcome.

The CFIA notified Jones recently that they intend to destroy 41 of her apparently healthy sheep—including 20 pregnant ewes—on Monday, April 2, 2012.

The order was made under the federal government’s “scrapie eradication program.” Scrapie is an illness which affects the productivity and longevity of sheep but is not transmissible to humans.

None of the condemned animals have tested positive for scrapie in live biopsies. Furthermore, none of the animals show any clinical symptoms of the disease. Nevertheless, the CFIA has ordered the sheep destroyed based merely on the “suspicion” of being contaminated. The CFIA has declined all alternative risk-control measures proposed by Ms. Jones and her lawyer, Karen Selick of the Canadian Constitution Foundation.

Faced with the possibility of 2 years’ imprisonment and fines of up to $250,000 if she obstructs the CFIA’s proposed slaughter, Ms. Jones may have no realistic choice but to surrender the animals.

At this time, it is not clear whether the animals will be slaughtered at the farm or will be removed for destruction elsewhere. In keeping with the somber nature of the event, Ms. Jones requests that demonstrators wear black. This demonstration may be unsuitable for children to attend.

Demonstrators are cautioned that under the Health of Animals Act, no person may “obstruct or hinder” a CFIA official in the performance of his duty, on penalty of up to 2 years’ imprisonment and fines of $250,000.

The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) has been providing legal representation to Montana Jones. The Canadian Constitution Foundation (“Freedom’s Defence Team”) is a registered charity, independent and non-partisan, whose mission is to defend the constitutional freedoms of Canadians through education, communication and litigation.